Holistic Healing for Trauma: NMT and Horses

Have you or someone you love been struggling with the effects of trauma? Maybe it’s hard to regulate emotions, trust others, or feel safe in your own body. Traditional therapy can help, but sometimes it’s just not enough on its own. That’s where a unique approach—combining the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) and Equine-Assisted Services (EAS)—comes in.

This isn’t just about “therapeutic processes.” It’s about relationships, connection, and discovering healing through the bond with a horse. If you’ve never thought of horses as partners in the healing process, let me share why they’re so special and how this could work for you or your loved one.

What Is the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics?

NMT is a brain-based framework that helps us understand how trauma impacts development—and how to heal from it. The brain develops in a sequence, from the “bottom up,” starting with the parts responsible for survival (like the brainstem) and building toward the parts that handle emotions and thinking (like the cortex).

When trauma happens, especially early in life, it can disrupt this natural sequence. NMT focuses on helping the brain heal in the same order it develops—starting with calming the body, then working on emotions, and finally building higher-level skills like reasoning and decision-making.

Why Horses?

Horses are incredible animals, especially when it comes to building relationships and promoting healing. They live fully in the moment, are highly sensitive to nonverbal communication, and respond authentically to the energy and emotions around them. In other words, they see the “real” you—and they meet you exactly where you are.

This makes horses the perfect partners for anyone who struggles with trust, connection, or emotional regulation. Building a relationship with a horse is a process of mutual respect, understanding, and care.

How NMT and Horses Work Together

When we combine the science of NMT with the relational experience of working with horses, something truly transformative happens. Let’s look at how this process unfolds:

Step 1: Feeling Safe and Calm

Trauma often leaves people feeling constantly on edge, like their body is stuck in “fight or flight” mode. Horses help with this in a way that feels natural and nonthreatening.

Just being near a horse can have a calming effect. Their steady presence, warm body, and rhythmic movements—whether you’re grooming, leading, or simply standing with them—help regulate the nervous system. This sense of calm is the foundation for everything else.

Step 2: Building Connection and Trust

This is where the relationship with the horse becomes so powerful. For someone who has experienced trauma, trusting another being—human or otherwise—can feel overwhelming. Horses, however, offer a safe, nonjudgmental space to practice connection.

The relationship starts with small moments:

• Learning how to approach the horse in a way that feels safe for both of you.

• Watching the horse’s body language and understanding what they’re communicating.

• Gently grooming the horse, noticing how they respond to your touch.

These moments are about more than just “doing an activity.” They’re about creating a bond - the goal of everything we do at Healing Reins is connection.  The horse’s ability to respond to your emotions and to be authentic teaches you how to show up in a relationship with honesty and care. Over time, this trust grows—and so does your confidence in your ability to connect.

Step 3: Engaging Emotions

Once the body feels calmer and the foundation of trust is in place, it becomes easier to work on emotions. Horses are wonderful at helping people stay present and manage their feelings.

For example:

• If you’re feeling anxious, a horse might respond to your energy. This creates a chance to pause, breathe, notice, and regulate yourself.

• If you’re congruent with your emotions - meaning that you can understand and notice how you’re feeling, the horse connects with that.   

These interactions help you become more aware of your emotions and how they influence your relationships. Over time, you’ll find yourself better able to recognize and manage your feelings—not just with the horse, but in everyday life too.

Step 4: Learning and Growing

Once the lower parts of the brain are regulated, it’s easier to focus on problem-solving and reflection. Horses naturally create opportunities to practice these skills.

For instance:

• Building relationship and trust with the horse will eventually allow you to make requests of the horse like walking through an obstacle course.  You and the horse together can problem solve how to best maneuver.

• Identifying dysregulation in the horse, and offering the horse opportunities to regulate their nervous system.

These activities aren’t just about the task—they’re about the relationship. You and the horse are working together, learning to trust each other and communicate effectively. The lessons learned in these moments can translate into healthier relationships and greater resilience in other areas of life.

The Power of Connection

At the heart of this approach is the idea that healing happens in relationships. Trauma often damages our ability to connect—with ourselves, with others, and with the world around us. Working with horses provides a unique opportunity to rebuild those connections in a safe, supportive environment.

As you learn to trust the horse, you begin to trust yourself. As you connect with the horse, you rediscover your ability to connect with others. It’s a process of growth, one step—and one hoofbeat—at a time.

Let’s Start the Journey

Healing doesn’t have to happen in a therapist’s office. Sometimes, stepping into a pasture, feeling the warmth of a horse’s breath, and learning to trust their steady presence can create breakthroughs you never thought possible.

If you’re ready to explore this unique, relationship-focused approach, let’s connect. Together, we’ll create a personalized plan that combines the background of neuroscience with the beauty of horses to help you or your loved one heal, grow, and thrive.

Take the first step toward connection—you don’t have to do this alone.